The Fourth Star

Four Generals and the Epic Struggle for the Future of the United States Army

By: David Cloud, Greg Jaffe

Narrated by: Richard McGonagle

They were four exceptional soldiers, a new generation asked to save an army that had been hollowed out after Vietnam. They survived the military's brutal winnowing to reach its top echelon. They became the Army's most influential generals in the crucible of Iraq. Collectively, their lives tell the story of the Army over the last four decades and illuminate the path it must travel to protect the nation over the next century.

In The Fourth Star, you'll follow:

Gen. John Abizaid, one of the Army's most brilliant minds. Fluent in Arabic, he forged an unconventional path in the military to make himself an expert on the Middle East, but this unique background made him skeptical of the war he found himself leading.

Gen. George Casey Jr., who grew up in the Army and won praise for his common touch and skill as a soldier. He was determined not to repeat the mistakes of Vietnam but would take much of the blame as Iraq collapsed around him.

Gen. Peter Chiarelli, an emotional, take-charge leader who felt the sting of the Army's failures in Iraq. He drove his soldiers, the chain of command, and the U.S. government to rethink the occupation plans - yet rarely achieved the results he sought.

Gen. David Petraeus, a driven soldier-scholar. Determined to reach the Army's summit almost since the day he entered West Point, he sometimes alienated peers with his ambition and competitiveness. When he finally got his chance in Iraq, he - more than anyone - changed the Army's conception of what was possible.

Masterfully written and richly reported, The Fourth Star ranges far beyond today's battlefields, evoking the Army's tumultuous history since Vietnam through these four captivating lives and ultimately revealing a fascinating irony: In an institution that prizes obedience, the most effective warriors are often those who dare to question the prevailing orthodoxy and in doing so redefine the American way of war.

©2009 David Cloud (P)2009 Random House

Like the War or Not - These Men are Impressive

Wait - don't pass this book by just because you might be against the war. This is a wonderful book about generals Petraeus, Chairrelli, Abizaid, and Casey. It traces their lives from childhood to the present making each one very human. This book contains the wonderful journalism of Jaffe and Cloud, it is written well, and read wonderfully by McGonagle. It will inform, inspire, and generate respect for these men whatever the reader's point of view.